Are the government sitting on a ticking time bomb?

[retro2807]

Just a small thought, but fairly relative none the less.

Obviously we are gripped by recession, the Conservatives came into power and did all they could to reduce spending on things like disability payments and job seekers.

My question is : to encourage me to be able to work again I had my prescriptions upped. When I was off sick in a bad way the medication was your typical diazepam, codeine occasional morphine. However working each day causes me the most incredible pain , so I get morphine on repeat and other very strong addictive tablets.

My question is this. I am surely not the only one, and if we ever recover from the credit crunch and things return to semi normality will the government be left open to law suits, for creating so many morphine addicts in the uk?

I wish I didn't have to take bloody morphine, don't get me wrong it is fantastic stuff when you are in agony, but I am close to dependant on it, and surely this can't be a good thing for a 31 year old?

Ironic thing is if weed was legal I would have a few bong hits during my fag break and would have very little need for the morphine.

Weed doesn't get rid of pain, not that I have found, it just helps you to deal with it, and it kind of stops you eating away your own brain constantly beating yourself up for not being able to do things.

My first post back Ian while.

Any thoughts?

Retro

[tengreenfingers]

I can't see them facing lawsuits, it's a controlled substance prescribed by a doctor and presumably monitored over time to ensure the dose is correct.

As medicines go, it's cheap, pretty benign (if taken properly) and generally safe. Even dependency isn't as bad as it could be as long as there's a steady, medical-grade supply.

Not good for a 31 year old, no. But less good for a 31 year old is being in pain all the time and being unable to work. My view is that no drug should be prohibited, that you should be able to toke and use a little morphine if needed. Whatever you and your doctor feel best fits your work life and personal life.

Of course, the herb is still "dangerous" and "toxic" with "no medical value" at the moment so that doesn't help much.

There are many, many issues though. I'd rather see cuts to things like foreign aid, military, infrastructure projects like HS2 and so on than to things like benefits for the sick... I just can't see the government facing any real bother over it. Come the next election in May 2015 it'll be back to the usual talk of returning to values, tough on crime, the economy and "the previous government" and all that. There will be little appetite for suing the government. It took the Hillsborough families until now to have it publicly admitted that it wasn't the fans' fault and that cops lied. I wouldn't expect new addicts to have any recompense.

Look at it this way... you're given morphine because you're in pain. Pain goes away. Everyone's happy. All for "free"... or the cost of a prescription... whichever applies.

I'd no more expect them to be sued for handing out morphine than for giving cancer patients cancer from chemotherapy and radiotherapy... which they do without being sued.

Edited March 23, 2013 by tengreenfingers

[retro2807]

I am undecided on it.

I question the morales of anyone suggesting to take a highly addictive drug such as morphine. Remember it's only a stage or 2 away from heroin, the withdrawls can be as bad apparently.

I am in a situation where I am happy to take meds to stay in work.

I just look back at the cases of people suing for Valium addiction due to poor prescription control and see similarities here. I hate this court case society we live in. I just question it a little.

Looking at the states they are facing pharmagedden. People addicted to things like Vicodin or other opiate or thebaine based drugs. Court cases always start there.

May I ask have you had morphine before? You seem well versed on it. Not being sarcastic .

Retro

[Guest fujitsu]

I think it's all down to doctor patient communication. The drugs you are given to control pain should be regular monitored and tailored to fit you. Some people need addictive pain killers but is it the fault of doctors/government that you need to use them to control your pain?

I feel for your situation because I have a badly broken foot all pinned up and the pain is almost unbearable!

Jack Herrer I use for the pain and it works better than the codeine phosphate paracetamol combo I was given. Was clearing snow in the Fast Track this morning and will be back out later!! Few joints in top pocket and away we go. Just had a dull throb after an hour or so.

Us farmer types are always breaking body parts and I always reach for the weed!!

Good luck sorting your pain management out, I'm sure you will find a strain to fit you.

All the best man

Oh driving on farm land by the way, not public road.

Edited March 23, 2013 by fujitsu

[tengreenfingers]

I've had morphine a couple of times. Only to deal with specific, short term stuff though.

I know people who've been on it long term and done my homework too.

If it's being handed out like sweets there's an issue. If it's part of a proper doctor-patient relationship and the standard they are aiming for is now slightly less pain than before it's probably not so much of an issue.

Agreed about pharmageddon in the US. A lot of that comes from their culture of litigation though. If a doctor DOESN'T prescribe a powerful enough drug or DOESN'T have a certain test done they'll be sued. That's largely why things are so bad and so expensive there.

Morphine is close to heroin, sure. But heroin (or rather, diamorphine) isn't bad stuff. It's the black market that causes the problems. In crude terms, diamorphine IS morphine. The body metabolises it into Morphine so the way it works is identical. Properly prescribed and administered responsibly, its side effects are pretty much constipation and dependence.

We have a bad view of it, but that is largely because of prohibition and the pushing of addicts into the hands of criminals.

"Heroin" as opposed to Diamorphine has coloured the view somewhat... but really both are useful, relatively safe painkillers that are largely feared due to social stigma and the damage done to addicts by drug dealers poisoning their medicine.